by Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports

by Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports

Sandy Rosario was encouraged about joining the Boston Red Sox on a waiver claim Oct. 17, figuring this might be the opportunity he'd long sought.

When the right-handed reliever was traded to the Oakland Athletics six weeks later, he told his wife, "All right, this is the place.''

Rosario started to get a dizzying sensation Dec. 10 when the A's put him on waivers and the Red Sox picked him back up, less than two weeks after they'd let him go. And the ground fairly shook under his feet Dec. 12 when Boston waived him again and the Chicago Cubs took him.

After spending the first eight years of his pro career with the Florida/Miami Marlins organization, making three brief appearances in the majors from 2010-12, Rosario had joined his fourth club in two months, five if you count the two stops with the Red Sox.

Rosario, 27, is one of a handful of players who have figuratively traveled all over the country â?? and to Canada -- in a most unsettling offseason.

While big stars like Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke had their choice of clubs offering them contracts in excess of $100 million, lesser lights like Rosario and catchers Eli Whiteside and Bobby Wilson had their rights shipped hither and yon. It tends to happen to middle relievers and backup backstops that have value but also can be had on the cheap.

"I've been bouncing around like a ball on a pool table,'' Rosario told USA TODAY Sports in Spanish from his native Dominican Republic. "I'm lucky this happened in the offseason. Imagine if it had been during the season, packing up and traveling to a new team every four days.''

Whiteside, a backup catcher with the San Francisco Giants for parts of the last four seasons, switched clubs just before and just after the winter meetings. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees on Nov. 5, then by the Toronto Blue Jays on Dec. 3, and then by the Texas Rangers less than a week later.

At least he didn't last with the Blue Jays long enough to need a passport.

"He's already been on three uniforms he's never worn,'' said Whiteside's agent, Joe Bick, adding that his client expects to go to spring training with the Rangers.

Wilson, also a backup catcher, played for the Los Angeles Angels from 2008 until they put him on waivers this offseason, starting a journey that began with his rights going to the Blue Jays on Oct. 22. They non-tendered his contract and Wilson became a free agent Nov. 30 before signing a minor-league deal with the Yankees on Dec. 13.

He'll compete with holdovers Chris Stewart, Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine as New York seeks to replace Russell Martin.

While it's comforting to know some teams still want him â?? or at least are aware of his existence -- Rosario said the frequent change of employers has led to a feeling of instability. He said an A's executive called to express how happy they were to have him, and less than two weeks later he was gone.

"Just when I thought I was safely in one place, three days later (agent Andy) Mota tells me, 'Hey, another team picked you up,''' Rosario said. "It feels so unstable. You don't even know where you're standing.''

Some positive developments did shake down from all the shifting around. For one, Rosario may fulfill his childhood dream of playing at Wrigley Field, where he remembers countryman Sammy Sosa hitting so many home runs.

He's also encouraged by his chances of making the Cubs bullpen after logging a 1.04 ERA and 16 saves in 25 games for Class AAA New Orleans last season, then adding a two-seam fastball in winter ball.

Now he has one Christmas wish above all: "I hope I don't get a call tomorrow telling me I'm going to another team.''